Saderan Theater
by Retarded Seal
Summary: The year is 2022. A massive Gate has opened in Manila, Philippines. And from there, the world has changed forever.


The Imperial Legion. The finest fighting force in the history of Sadera. From the Lands of the Warrior-Bunnies to the low marshes of the Lizardmen, there was no place that wasn't beyond their reach. 

And when it was announced that a new gate would be opened, the Empire and it's Legions rejoiced. From there, new lands and strange civilizations would be taken under the fold of the Empire. The light of civilization that the Empire held would spread across all lands, ridding them of barbarism and superstition.

Such was the mission entrusted to him by the Emperor himself. And he would be damned if he would fail him. _Legatus Legionis_ Agricola Felix examined the ruined land that lay before him. Scarcely a few hours in and the Legio IX Victoria had already moved at record speed, capturing land, slave and wealth. Whatever resistance that the natives sent their way was quickly snuffed. Their mages, while devastating, were not enough to stand against the might of the Empire. Still, it bugged him at the staves they held. He sent a general order for the staves held by dead mages be given to their own mages for study.

The land they were in was rich. It was apparent from the state of the buildings, the clothing of the populace and the beauty of their women. He trusted that the IX legion would keep to their discipline and not run amok like animals at the sight of such wealth. To the other legions, not so much. The Legio XII Martell were fine and so was the Legio XX Concordia. It was the Legio VII Gloria that caused most problems. It's legionnaires were scoundrels and it's Legate a knave that owed his position to the Crown Prince. He spat at the ground in disgust.

Already, they were looting, raping and burning. Idiots the very lot of them. But that was the least of his worries. He still had an invasion to direct.

"Legate!" cried out one of his subordinates. "What should we do with the monument here?"

He glanced left to see a sizable monument. It had the statue of a man made out of some type of rock. He saw that underneath the statue was a plaque written in the script of the land. He stopped to consider it. If the civilization they were invading bothered to send two powerful mages to guard it then it must have been a statue of some figure with of great importance. Well, it didn't matter anyway. All would fall to the Imperial Sword.

"The statue..." he said. "Bring it down."

* * *

The skies were torn as fixed-wing aircraft and low-attack planes made sorties. Their weapons used to devastating effect. But at the ground, twas a much different story.

"Everyone! Get down!" screamed 2nd Lieutenant Alfonso de Leon. The young military man ducked as a projectile found it's way into their position, smashing a stone house in the process. He glanced up from the ground and found that the projectile had killed a few civilians unlucky enough to be caught by falling debris. He picked  
himself up, took his rifle and aimed the archaic weapon.

Just a few hours ago, he was with his squad on leave. Then a huge gate opened and from it poured legions upon legions of men as well as monsters. He counted himself and the people who came with him lucky that Intramuros still held strong and that it was renovated to it's original state. The ancient fort's defenses were returned to it's original condition after a few years of work by a group of rich businessmen. The idea of the time was to have an army of reenactors inside the walled compound and it was supposed to generate income from tourists and history buffs. Apparently, they also had working Mauser rifles to complete their look.

And so he, his squad and some two hundred fifty or so men took positions on top of the wall and fired rounds after rounds at encroaching legionnaires. Heck, they even made us of the cannons on the wall to great effect.

He paused as he considered his enemies. Were they fighting rabid cosplayers? He shook that thought. They were too organized to just be cosplayers. Time-travelling Romans then? He shook that thought as well. They weren't red enough and the last time he checked, Rome did not have orcs, trolls and goblins in their ranks.

He knew that reinforcements would come soon and he hoped that whatever deity that was out there was merciful to the invaders. Because the 7.62 of the Philippine Airforce wouldn't.

* * *

 _"PUTANG INA! THEY'RE BREAKING THROUGH!"_

" _WHERE THE FUCK'S THE AIR FORCE!?"_

"SIR! INVADERS ARE POURING IN THROUGH THE HOSPITAL! THERE'S CIVILIANS IN THERE-OH SHIT! THEY'RE GETTING SLAUGHTERED! REQUESTING PERMISSION TO MOUNT A RESCUE!"

President Alfredo "Fredo" Luab stared grimly at the screen. Displayed were gruesome images of murder and chaos. Men in distinct Romanesque armor suddenly appeared and turned areas of the city into a ruin. He suppressed a tired sigh as one of the radios went static.

"The American Embassy has fallen!" cried a panicked radio operator "I repeat, the embassy has fallen!"

Outside the room, he could hear the distinct sounds of gunfire, the occasional explosion and sirens blaring. He could hear Police Helicopters firing at their targets and  
the screams of both military and civilian. Already, he could feel another migraine coming.

"Mr. President." said Ramon Baltazar, Secretary of National Defence. "I'm sorry for being uncouth but we're going to be shit upon."

"You don't say, Ramon." quipped Alfredo. "We did tell them to evacuate at least."

He could already see the clusterfuck that was going to happen when the whole event would be over and he would do everything in his power to ensure that justice would be given. For now, plans had to be drawn up and troops to be directed. Scheming could be done later.

"Sir! We have General del Mar on the screen!" cried out on the technicians.

"Bring him up." ordered Alfredo. One of the blank screens whizzed to life and there came the image of an elderly man in a dirty uniform. In the background were soldiers and armed policemen firing at something.

"General del Mar. What is the situation?"

del Mar wasted no time.

"Mr President, we're on the verge of a breakthrough but not without losses. The 201st Infantry Battalion has been completely wiped out in the initial defense. The 42nd Light Armor Brigade has had some losses but are holding. The 7th Air Wing is ready to be deployed at your orders, sir."

"Get those helicopters in the air, now."

"Yes sir."

Alfredo walked back and sat on a empty chair. His predecessor was all accounts an uncouth man but he had at least left him a treasury and a modernized army. That army he was going to use to smash the invaders and make them regret coming to Manila. His opponents had called him a raving militant nationalist and he had to acknowledge that they were right in certain aspects but he was NOT a militant. Simply a realist. A state would only be as strong as it's armed forces. And he  
desperately needed that hammer in a time such as this.

"Sir! General Villahermosa on the phone!"

Alfredo nodded and picked up a bright colored telephone on the table.

"Your Excellency, the 15th Air Wing is ready for combat. I apologize for the delays, we had to take some time in preparing our new toys."

 _You bastards sowed the wind...  
_

"General. I am ordering you to utterly decimate them. Make those invaders pay."

 _Now, you better reap the whirlwind!_

"By your orders sir, they won't know what hit em."

* * *

Despite it's close proximity, the 15th Air Wing was delayed in it's response due to logistical issues. They were able to fix the problem and launched the latest in Philippine air power. F-16 Fighter Jets launched from Danilo Atienza Air Force Bay and were now streaking the Manila skyline, leaving a trail of white. With coordinates from the ground, a duo of F-16's flew close and locked on. With a push of a button, bombs were dropped upon masses of infantry. Groups of men who didn't even bother to take cover.

From his periscope, Antonio Guera sneered as the bombss dropped.

 _Idiots didn't even take cover!  
_

He turned from his periscope and shouted.

"You see that men? They're not only ugly but they're also fucking stupid!" He rose from his seat and peered out of his LAV. "To all units, fill them all with lead! Let your cannons sing!"

His men roared, following it were the sounds of 20MM cannons firing at masses of infantry and cavalry.

Within 24 hours, the Battle of Manila would be over with a overwhelming victory for the Philippine Armed Forces. Despite that, the Capital still burned. Bodies still rotted in the street and the black asphalt were pocketed with holes from bombs or missiles and often was filled with the blood of the dying. Reports of fighting still continued but it was declared safe. The media then descended upon the scene, taking in the very image of hell itself.

But the most striking image was that taken by a photographer. It was of the defaced Rizal Monument, the statue of the legendary and selfless hero lying broken at the ground as a half-burnt flag of the invaders flew on the original stand.

First the nation wept as it's capital burned for three days and three nights. And as the tears and fears dwindled, a rage burned through the hearts and minds of the archipelago.

Cries of vengeance were thrown.

Cries that President Alfredo was too willing to answer.

He had slept soundly and awoke looking refreshed. He was a showman and was more than willing to use his talents to prove a point. Never in the history of it's existence that the nation was united. The nation needed a strong man to get behind with in times of crisis. A bastion of strength and will. The world needed to see  
that the Philippines would not bow even if it's capital was razed to the ground.

With excitement and adrenaline coursing through his body, he spoke lengthily and with emotion.

" _My countrymen. I would not take long to deliver my speech for now is not the time to make speeches but rather, remember the lives lost. And so, I will be brief._

Yesterday, Manila fell under siege and for three days and three nights, it burned. Even now, there are still flames to be put off and bodies to identify and bury. This nation that attacked us, did so because it held in it's firm belief that it was superior in mind, body and soul. When they arrived, they expected to find weak and cowardly men who would run away at the mere sight of their army. What they did not expect to find was our steel, our bullets and our determination.

We have a long history of fighting against invaders. Men who would seek to enslave and dominate us. But what did we do when they came? We stood and fought! When Magellan came bearing cross and sword, we met them at Mactan! When Limahong invaded the North with his fleet and sought to take the country as his domain, we met him, fought his army and sent him home with his tail between his legs! We stood and fought from the fields of Nueva Ecija to the shores of Sulu! In our blood, is the history of men and women who have fought tyranny. We have bled, cried and sweated blood so that our glorious motherland would be free for the sun to rise.

 __ _Ne'er shall invaders, trample thine sacred shores._

My countrymen, this is a line from our National Anthem. When we sing it, we make a inviolable vow that our motherland would never again experience bondage. It is high time that we make do with that promise. A few days ago, we now awoke from that dream that we are alone in the universe. Our invader is from a land we know nothing of. But my friends, justice's reach shall go beyond even if you flee to the very edges of the galaxy!

I have implored the Senate to approve of our righteous mission to find and seek those who are guilty for the massacre of many! And my countrymen, I now declare that we are at war!

Not for glory nor honor but for justice and VENGEANCE!"

* * *

A wave of relief flooded him as he dropped his pen, letting his tired hand recover. His appearance was a far-cry from the prim President a few months ago. Under his eyes were bags so dark you'd thought they were natural. His eyes were dropping and red with exhaustion. He should have slept a little bit but considering the importance of his work, he could not afford breaks. For the past six months, he had been laboring hard from contracting private companies for construction work to appealing for international aid. He leaned back, his thoughts straying.

In the aftermath of the battle, around 15,000 civilians were dead with 2,000 more missing. He could acutely guess where they were and it filled him with rage. But he stifled it for the time being to concentrate on his task at hand. He was not lacking in support for shortly after he had made his speech, the country demanded justice, vengeance and lastly, _blood_. And like the opportunistic bastard he was, he would not let this chance fly from him.

Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, Vietnam, Myanmar and Laos. The eight countries that the Philippines had been proud to call allies were quick to send their condolences and support. In the final years of his presidency, his predecessor worked hard to ensure warm relations between the countries that made up ASEAN. And when he left and Alfredo was voted as the next president, Alfredo worked even harder to bring the association closer ties. And from that work came the Singapore Pact, a mutual defense treaty with similar functions like NATO. It was to ensure closer relations between the nations as well as pledging financial and military aid in any case of attack, foreign or domestic. That was the reason but he and the other leaders new what they were doing it for.

It was no longer the 90's. America's strength was waning and in the dark corners, a red dragon was rising from its slumber. Chinese aggression had increased since 2017 and the Defense Pact was more of an act of self-preservation that anything. Speaking of the Chinese, the latest in military intelligence reported Chinese vessels increasing their patrols and military maneuvers in the West Philippine Sea. Dueterte attempted to warm their ties with China but that was it. The Chinese had sent him their condolences as well as a support package to help in the reconstruction of damaged facilities as well as 'assistance' in the form of a battalion of PLA troopers and tanks.

 _"Yeah. And a side dish of Chinese spies please."_ he thought bitterly. He distrusted the Reds. Not out of ideology or racism but from the eyes of a mouse seeing a cat. He would have to adopt a more cautious stance. Times were turbulent now and one spark could set off a chain-reaction. He leaned forward and picked up a piece of paper and read its contents.

For the first time in its history, the AFP would finally leave the shores of its motherland to fight in another. For the most part, it had seen many conflicts but they were usually rebellions and insurrections and not an actual war. This was a new experience and one he would admit that the AFP lacked. But the good ol' Joes had tons of it and he was pragmatic enough to realize he needed the Yankees in this fight. There were voices decrying the presence of America but he was able to keep them silent.

America was angry, their embassy had been torched and it's ambassador murder. They called it 'The Second Benghazi', referencing the Benghazi incident last 2012. And this time, the United States would once more rally and go to foreign soil for the deaths of its many citizens. Right outside Manila Bay, the USS Ronald Reagan floated, its frame casting a shadow over the coast. The aircraft carrier steamed in from Yokosuka Naval Base a scant two months ago and had fortified the Embassy with marines. Navy Seabees had assisted the 54th Engineering brigade in constructing a camp for POW's in one of the many uninhabited islands in the archipelago. They held an approximate 12,000 men as prisoners as well as a number of demi-humans. The prisons were located in three small islands in Batanes and housed suitable housing, cooking facilities, and a gym, cleaning facilities, a library and a developed beach. The construction of the prisons facilities and its location were an unexpected luxury that Engineers and Seabees began calling the three facilities as "Camp Wonderland".

Wonderland or not, it was still a prison and special treatment was not tolerated. Officers were exclusively interrogated as to gather information for the coming Saderan Campaign and the POW's were monitored day and night. He and linguists were surprised when the Saderans spoke a legible dialect of Latin. There were some difficulties as sometimes, there were words that meant something else entirely in Saderan Latin. However, it was a minor setback and a workable dictionary was distributed among the officers and troops.

He took a glance outside his window and observed the many helicopters flying to and fro. He closed his eyes and imagined the logistics being distributed, troops being transferred and protesters screaming and raving. Luneta Park was transformed into a fortress and the adjacent Intramuros turned into a military city. One could not enter the 'Zone' as military-men referred to without express authorization. Trespassers were given warnings not to trespass lest they wanted a 5.76 bullet in their backs. The presence of so much equipment and soldiers however did not stop people from protesting. Left-wing groups rallied day and night to stop the 'Imperialist expansion of the Armed Forces of the Philippines against underdeveloped natives'

It did not make any sense to him but he could say they were idiots.

You'd have to be incredibly suicidal if you would deny a mob what they wanted. And for all that has happened, it had been working well in his favor. Support had been amazing and he truly felt secure in his position.

"Right. Now let's get this over with..."

* * *

"... _Gentlemen! Now is a momentous and historical moment! Never in the history of the world have nations come together to defend one another not because of selfish gains but because it is the right thing to do. We have regiments from Singapore, Malaysia and even from the United States! We must remember our mission, to bring justice to those who have done us wrong and to seek the return of our brethren lost._ "

Captain Alfonso de Leon, the now christened "The Stalwart Defender of Intramuros" stood at attention, his eyes glazed at the man on the podium. A few days ago, said man had personally pinned him medals and announced his promotion from 2nd Lieutenant to Captain. Eyebrows were raised regarding his rapid promotion but when the Commander-in-Chief said so himself, who was there to deny it? He remembered the words of pride that his family had given him and the happy look that his grandfather had given him. Finally, he had proven himself to his grandfather. The man that he had always looked up to ever since childhood. The man he aspired to be.

His cause of promotion was his excellent defense of the Intramuros with a ragtag group of Guardia Civil Reenactors and his own squad. He admitted that he got the defense to his head since he remembered that he ordered a bayonet charge. He would have to practice his self-control.

" _And so, I tell you all, steel yourselves for you are the Saderan Expeditionary Force! You will be the first men and women to touch a world unknown! There will be many who will come after you but you shall and will always be the first! With this, I salute you, brave fellows!_

Good luck and godspeed!"

Cheers, whistles and applause followed as the President finished his speech and stepped down from the podium. He whistled a bit too, appreciating the words given by his commander-in-chief, he took the time to check out the crowd on the grounds. He saw regiments from many different countries, allies in the Singapore Pact. Their arrival was met with much fanfare as possible. He made acquaintances with the men and women he'd be working alongside with. Well, if he would bleed for the next few months, he would have to know who he would bleed with.

And as the uproar reached in intensity, he fell back to recall the words that his grandfather had told him on their last meeting.

" _Grandson. I am proud of you for what you are about to do. But remember this, the most important thing a soldier can do for his family is by coming back home. And so, I tell you, come back home to us. But also remember to bring back a foreigner wife! She also needs to be smart as well as beautiful! We don't want a dunce to be your wife!_ "

" _Fucks sake, grandad._ "

" _Eh. You'll come around soon._ "

* * *

For the most part, bringing together armies of different nations with even different agendas is a nightmarish notion and god help the man who would be in charge of keeping all of them together. To ensure smooth operations, JOC or Joint Operations Command was born. JOC would handle the movement of forces to and from Sadera.

The coalition forces would be led by General Emilio del Mar, the principal commander who had led the defense of Manila against the Saderans. As it stands, he would be the man who would plan, coordinate and lead the coalition troops. The objectives of the coalition was laid out in a briefing a few days ago. The 1st priority is to secure the return of the lost civilians. 2nd was to prosecute the parties guilty of crimes against humanity and lastly was to secure reparations for the damages done to life and property.

Under him was the 1st Infantry Division, 6th Armored Regiment and 3rd Mechanized Infantry Battalion. Supporting them was the 15th Air Wing and the Army Artillery Regiment. It stood 25,500 strong. The AFP saw the need to bring out the latest in military equipment as to see their effectiveness and rack up experience for the men. JOC planners believed the number to diminish as Allied influence would increase on the surrounding area.

The American forces were led by Admiral Anton W, Fleury. An auspicious choice as Fleury had Filipino ancestry from his great-grandmother's side. He was received well by the media with some more bold newspapers calling him "Filipino Pride." (It is typical for Filipinos to scream Filipino Pride when something has even the tiniest speck of Pnoy in it). For the US, the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit was airlifted from Japan to participate in the campaign, tagging along was the 1st Special Operations Squadron to provide support.

The other allied nations were principally there to provide logistics and artillery support, greatly enhancing the capabilities of the Allied Forces. But that was not all. Observers from the UN came as well, to ensure that no man would step out of line and see the strange new world for themselves.

And finally, six months since the siege of Manila, alarms were blared and men ran into positions. Scouting missions had brought back images of camps and legions and with the whole world watching, the first vehicle made its move and vanished into the darkness of the gate.

The Saderan Theater had begun.

* * *

The newly-promoted Imperial Legate Titus Andronicus surveyed the trenches, traps and other necessities that dominated the field and the men that occupied them. The once-green pastures of the sacred Alnus Hill was transformed into a siege line. He had received messages from hawkish senators denouncing him for 'tearing into the sacred fields of Alnus'. He spat at the ground in disgust. If they wanted their _Latifundias_ still standing at the end of the day, they should just shut up and let him do his job.

After all, they hadn't encountered the Outlanders and their weaponry. He had also filed for reinforcements but the reinforcements that he requested took time to assemble and would arrive far later than normal. Meaning that someone or even the Senate was delaying re-reinforcements. And so, he was forced to dig in. So sure where they of victory that they didn't even bother placing sentry legions to ensure no tomfoolery would follow them.

Within his camp, there were rumors that the civilization they were attacking were demi-gods. And that rumor spread among the ranks like fire. He was forced to crack a few skulls here and there to maintain the already fragile discipline that held three battered legions together. A scant few months ago, his predecessor had at least the good mind to sound a general retreat and that saved at least twenty-thousand men and some five-thousand demi-human auxiliaries. Not only that, they managed to gather an assortment of staves held by the outlander mages. And from his personal observations, he realized that those staves were not magical but mechanical.

He didn't know the inner workings of the weapons but the concept was simple. A piece of metal would be fired from a tube and would therefore be deadly projectiles. And so, he immediately ordered trenches to be dug, spikes and other traps set and dozens upon dozens of ballista, onagers, scorpions and a few trebuchets were constructed and made readied. The infantry he ordered to switch to either bows, crossbows, javelins and slingshots. There were many who grumbled but Titus did not care.

Their foe had a different method of conducting warfare. One that involved men armed with the weapons they captured. That he realized. And if digging into the dirt like an insect would mean giving the Legion a fighting chance, he would gladly throw all his honor away.

And finally, his mages told him that the Gate was rumbling, meaning that the outworders were making their move. _Buccinae_ were blown and 25,000 troops assembled positions and prayed for deliverance as they prepared for the coming assault.

On the Allied end, the Philippine 6th Armored Division rolled in through the gate. Scouting had revealed the positions that the Saderans laid and the tank crews prepared themselves. Tankery was the newest addition into the AFP. The armed forces had armored vehicles but they were IFV's. Not MBT's like the vehicles they were crewing. The Korean Hyundai Ryotem K1 was a welcome addition to the arsenal of the army and the army took the chance to test their new toys.

The first tank platoon finally rumbled through darkness of the gate and was also the first to fire. Its commander, 1st Lieutenant Ferdinand Ninal, ordered through his radio.

"Enemy Contact! 900 Meters! FIRE!"

The battle went exactly how a modern force would destroy a primitive one.

Legate Titus and his Centurions commanded to the best of their ability. Siege weapons were fired, arrows were loosed and javelins thrown at nearing outlander chariots. But no matter how well an army could be commanded, if the technology disparity was too great then the ones who would be at the receiving end of that technology would be utterly decimated. Men and demi-humans were torn apart by machine gun fire, HE rounds or were simply run over and crushed under the threads of the advancing tanks. It was messy and horrible but one can only do as much when the fog of war descends.

But to say that it was one-sided was optimistic. The Saderans learned from their mistakes in the first battle and made suitable preparations to face their foe on even ground. Trenches not occupied by men but filled with flaming tar deterred tank crews. No sane operator would drive his own vehicle in a burning mass. A couple of tanks sported damage to their turrets or main guns via rocks from trebuchets. There where even tanks that fell under collapsible traps and those tanks were quickly overwhelmed by nearby Imperial legionnaires. The tank crews caught in those traps resorted to brutal hand-to-hand fighting.

Tankers, furious at the loss of their families or other reasons met legionnaires, livid at the shame of their defeat.

However, the battle was decided by attrition and the Saderans were losing more men and auxiliaries as time passed. Still wanting to preserve at least a smidgen of troops, Titus sounded a general retreat. But in the chaos of the battle, few actually heard it and many more mistook it. Thinking it was a horn to charge, cohorts leaped from their entrentched positions and were gunned down. A sad tale in the pandemonium of battle.

As the sun set, Alnus Hill was unrecognizable. Battered collections of trenches and pits littered the field. The flaming tar continued to burn, pocketing the sky with smoke. Bodies lay scattered, Imperial or Allied. Some were whole, with a bullet wound to the chest or an arrow to the throat. Most were unrecognizable due to the sheer amount of damage done. Crows and carrion birds feasted, complementing the whole look. A tanker who requested anonymity took a picture with his Iphone 100 and would soon become the poster image for the whole conflict. 

" _Burol ng Kamatayan_ " 

" _Hill of Death_."

* * *

The Saderans lost twenty-four thousand troops in a single day. The damage done was the final blow to break the morale of the remaining thousand troops. Battered, dejected and out of hope, they would have rampaged the countryside if not for the strong leadership of Legate Titus. The Saderan had miraculously managed to go through the whole battle unscathed. Even when bullets and shells flew all over and had legionnaires and centurions cut down at his side, the man emerged through it  
all unharmed.

The legate had managed to pull the men together with a speech so rousing that surviving scribes forgot to transcribe it. Survivors had said that when the Legate had finished speaking, grown men who were veterans of dozens of conflicts were moved to tears and even the stones of Alnus cracked as the Legate finished his speech. And so, it was a surprise to _Legatus Legionis_ Junius Amulius Magnus of the _Legio XIII Leo_ when the battered remnants of the defenders of Alnus Hill descended in parade formation with their heads held high and standard carried proudly.

"I may have been battered by our outworlder foe." Titus said to Legate Amulius. "But I have _not_ been defeated. I still have my standard!"

For the allied forces, three tank platoons were in a dire need of repair whilst three more needed fresh crews to replace their lost ones. And lost sixteen men in the fighting. The Saderans truly learned from their experience and had expertly placed traps to either kill, maim or damage the Allies. The most senior casualty was Captain Felicio Roman. The Captain had died from a crossbow bolt while attempting to rescue a trapped tank crew. For this, he was posthumously awarded high awards by none other than President Luab himself. More casualties would mount up in the clearing of the hill. Allied troops would fall victim to caltrops, be caught in snake pits or even shot by trigger-activated crossbows. It took the Allied troops an extra hour of clearing the hill and at 9:00 PM Philippine time, declared the hill secure.

Construction equipment still needed to be brought in from the other side of the gate so US Seabees and Army engineers began digging new entrenchments. Saderan earthworks that were still usable were converted and checked for traps. Once cleared, .50 Cals were set up to enhance defenses. Engineers also began laying mines in designated places. Artillery and mortar pieces were also set up, 105 mm.

The plan was to set up minefields to deter advancing legionnaires, forcing them to march along paths not laid with mines. That was the designated killzone where most weapons were aimed it.

If the day was referred to as "The Slaughter of a Thousand Men."

The bloodbath afterwards dwarfed it.

* * *

A/N: Transporting this from my SB account. For every three chapters written there, I would compress it all in here. 

So if ya'll want speed and explanations, head over to SB. I'm more active there and there's discussion as well. If ya'll want a edited version, stay here.


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